From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) has called on President Bola Tinubu to order the immediate removal of the travel ban placed on its leader, Sheik Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife, Malama Zeenah, including the release of their travel documents.
Besides, the movement equally called for the release of free Zakzaky protesters, including Ibrahim Khalid and 49 others, who have been in detention since July 22, 2019.
In a statement in Abuja, at the weekend, the group further demanded the release of Malam Haruna Abbas, Malam Ibrahim Hussaini and Malam Adamu Suleiman, who have been in questionable detention since 2013. A member of the group, Prof. Shehu Ahmed Maigandi, who signed the statement, lamented that members of the group have been subjected to harassment, persecution, intimidation and other acts of brutality in the past 10 years by past administrations.
He said: “After the judgment of the Kaduna State High Court which discharged and acquitted Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife from all allegations levelled against them, the Buhari regime decided to frustrate the court judgment and hindered the retrieval of their travel documents by directing the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Department of State Services (DSS) to continue to hold on to the couple’s travel documents.
“Similarly, the Buhari regime directed the Nigeria Immigration Service not to issue another international passport to the couple.”
Speaking on the current health status of its leader and his wife, Maigandi referred to the pronouncement of the court, thus: “The court admits that the health situation of the couple requires not only qualified medical professionals, but, also, a state-of-the-art medical facility with up-to-date equipment.”
However, the group lamented that “during the medical trip to India, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Service (DSS) confiscated the couple’s travel documents.
“The seizure of the passports was done illegally because medical leave granted by the Kaduna State High Court did not require the security agents to confiscate their travel documents. It is obvious that the government is bending the laws to pursue an unjust cause.”
The group explained that its statement “is meant to remind the public and, particularly, the newly sworn-in government of Bola Tinubu of the grave human rights violations against the leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria, His Eminence, Sheikh Ibraheem Yaqoub Al-Zakzaky, his family, and followers by the previous governments of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.”
It recalled the 2015 military onslaught against its members that led to the massacre of over 1,000 people, including men, women, students and children, across three locations of Hussainiyah Islamic Centre, Darul Rahmah Cemetery and the residence of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky all in the ancient city of Zaria.
“It was in this illegal military operation that Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah, were arrested with multiple gunshot injuries after they were directly shot at by the military. It was as a result of the continued illegal detention of the duo, amidst their deteriorating health condition and the demand for justice to the victims of the Zaria massacre, that instigated the daily free-Zakzaky protests in Abuja,” the group explained.